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No Property in Man

Slavery and Antislavery at the Nation’s Founding, With a New Preface
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( 181 ratings, 28 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
No Property in Man by Sean Wilentz examines the complex and provocative history of how the United States Constitution originally addressed the issue of slavery. The book explores how the founding document allowed for both the tolerance and eventual abolition of slavery, presenting a nuanced narrative that delves into the moral and political conflicts embedded within the nation's foundation. Without revealing spoilers, the book provides insights into the debates and ideologies that influenced early American constitutional thought.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're keen on exploring the intricate debates over slavery during America's founding. It offers a compelling examination of how the Constitution was designed to leave slavery open to contention and change. This historical analysis delves into the nuanced arguments for and against slavery and the lasting impact they had on American political development.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

"Wilentz brings a lifetime of learning and a mastery of political history to this brilliant book."
-David W. Blight, author of Frederick Douglass

A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice
A Foreign Affairs Best Book of the Year

Americans revere the Constitution even as they argue fiercely over its original toleration of slavery. In this essential reconsideration of the creation and legacy of our nation's founding document, Sean Wilentz reveals the tortured compromises that led the Founders to abide slavery without legitimising it, a deliberate ambiguity that fractured the nation seventy years later.

Contesting the Southern proslavery version of the Constitution, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass pointed to the framers' refusal to validate what they called "property in man." No Property in Man has opened a fresh debate about the political and legal struggles over slavery that began during the Revolution and concluded with the Civil War. It drives straight to the heart of the single most contentious issue in all of American history.

"Revealing and passionately argued [Wilentz] insists that because the framers did not sanction slavery as a matter of principle, the antislavery legacy of the Constitution has been 'misconstrued' for over 200 years."
-Khalil Gibran Muhammad, New York Times

"Wilentz's careful and insightful analysis helps us understand how Americans who hated slavery, such as Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, could come to see the Constitution as an ally in their struggle."
-Eric Foner

Series: The Nathan I. Huggins Lectures

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  • No Property in Man
    "Wilentz brings a lifetime of learning and a mastery of political history to this brilliant book."-David W. Blight, author of Frederick Douglass A New York Times Book Review Editors' ChoiceA Foreign Affairs Best Book of the Year Americans revere the Constitution even as they argue fiercely over its original toleration of slavery. In this essential reconsideration of the creation and...
    Paperback
    $4499
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

No Property in Man by Sean Wilentz offers a compelling historical analysis of the U.S. Constitution's connection with slavery. Critics praise Wilentz's examination of how the Constitution, while protecting slavery, also contained elements that supported an antislavery agenda. The book is lauded for its insightful analysis, nuanced arguments, and its ability to challenge prevailing academic notions, offering new perspectives on the founding period of American history.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780674241428

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 September 2019

Country: United States

Imprint: Harvard University Press

Edition: 2nd edition

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 210.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 368

About the Author

Sean Wilentz is George Henry Davis 1886 Professor of American History at Princeton University. He is the author of numerous books on American history and politics, including The Rise of American Democracy, which won the Bancroft Prize and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and The Politicians and the Egalitarians, chosen as Best History Book of the Year by Kirkus and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Wilentz’s writings on American music have earned him two Grammy nominations and two Deems-Taylor-ASCAP awards.

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